A. Students complete technology/leadership assessments and summarize (1) key ideas of the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology in a table format, (2) the four strands of the Technology Applications TEKS and (3) two objectives/skills required in each of the four domains for a selected grade cluster.
B. Analyze Texas STaR Chart data, create a presentation for faculty on results, post the presentation to blog site where you also write 250-word opinion piece on one of the four areas of Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. Include (1) Description of the area. (2) Progress in the area (include local, state, and national progress. (3) Trends in the area (include local, state, and national progress. (4) Your recommendations for improvement in the area.
C. Create a wiki reference document.
This class was the first class in the program. It was an overview and introduction for the classes to come. In this course, we studied the STAR Chart and the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, and we created a wiki for the program. I think this class was an excellent introduction to the entire Educational Technology Leadership Program. The readings allowed me to gain an understanding of the philosophies involved in teaching with technology, and introduced me to various web 2.0 technologies I was previously unfamiliar with. Many of the readings expanded my knowledge of technology and learner-centered approaches. Mary Burns states: “The project classrooms were exciting incubators for learning and collaboration, and a sense of a partnership for learning prevailed. Teachers reported that students’ work was better and discipline problems had diminished” (Burns, 2002, p. 297). Many studies have shown that technology bases and student-centered learning increases engagement and enthusiasm, as well as decreases management issues.
The skills I learned in this class allowed me to increase my knowledge about the tools available with technology. I had never set up a blog, podcast, digital story, or wiki before, and this class required me to do so. As a technology leader, this knowledge will help me because I will be able to model the use of the amazing tools. I am grateful to have learned those two tools because I have now used them many times in my own 6th and 3rd grade classes.
A final and important aspect of this course was the introduction of the STAR Chart, and the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. Understanding the state technology goals, as well as the campus-self assessment (STAR chart) will allow me to reflect on my teaching and ensure that I am attempting to meet the campus and state goals in terms of technology use. “In order to provide Texas students with a competitive role in these emerging global economies, State leaders and educators must define the current and future challenges impeding educational and economic progress and develop a strategic educational response. The goal in teaching and learning must be to empower young citizens to live and learn in a continuously changing 21st Century environment and to enable this citizenry to effectively interact in a global marketplace” (Texas, 2006, 5). These new skills I have will allow me to become a better technology leader, and to help teach students to be able to take part in the connective, global economy. References
Burns, M. (2002). From Compliance To Commitment: Technology as a Catalyst for Communities of Learning. PHI DELTA KAPPAN. EBSCO. (295-302).
(2006). Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020: A Report to the 880 Legislature from the Texas Education Agency.
EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability
A. Students use state data and measure campus performance against the state standards. Target one area of strength at the campus and two areas of weakness. B. Create an action plan for the campus. Develop an agenda for a professional development day that addresses the targeted campus needs and include a timeline for follow-up professional development.
Leadership for accountability was a course designed around the analysis of student data and developing an action plan to help a campus address the targeted campus needs. With NCLB, it is imperative school leaders have an understanding of the Texas Accountability System, and are able to create plans to help increase the scores in the problem areas. “ The assignments were very educational because I was able to go through the process myself and analyze my own campus’ performance ratings. Before this course, I was unaware of the way the rating system in Texas worked, how schools were determined “Exemplary,” “Recognized,” etc. “This course is a study of both short and long-range planning and problem solving techniques of effective school leaders. Special emphasis will be given to an individual campus and its relationship to district planning” (Syllabus, 2010, p. 1).
With NCLB, there has been a significant increase in the focus of public school being the standardized test. The test scores reflect the success of a campus, and effect the acceptability of districts. With this in mind, “developing a vision is a critical component of school improvement and school leadership; in addition, the development of a vision is an evolutionary process. It is debated whether the initial step in the development of a vision is a written statement, but it is essential that the principal create an environment of change. A guiding "frame-work" of action is essential with ongoing communication, assessment, and re-evaluation that are driven by the chief investigator” (Jones, 2002, p. 1).
This course really touched on one of my issues with public education. I do not believe high-stakes testing is the most efficient way to assess campus success. Also, with such a focus on the students who are at risk, there is a neglect of the students who are passing with flying colors. The focus in classrooms is to “pass the test,” whether school leaders like to admit or not. Regardless of my opinion, if my goal is to become a school leader, the tasks and assignments completed in this course have better prepared my by expanding my knowledge of the process of analyzing data, pointing out target areas, and creating plans to address those target areas. “In recent years, we educators have expanded our thinking about what the assessment process can do; we have moved beyond using it simply to judge and grade achievement to using it to make changes in teaching that will lead to greater learning” (Stiggins, 2008, p.1). I hope teachers and school leaders can learn how to use the assessments as a way to measure student understanding, without the extreme emphasis on the test within the curriculum.
References
Adams, N. (2010). EDLD 5333 Leadership for accountability: syllabus. Lamar University. Beumont, TX. (1-13)
Jones, L., & Crochet, F. (2007). The importance of visions for schools and school improvement. Connexions. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://cnx.org/content/m15634/1.1/
A. Analyze district technology after completing interviews with at least two school administrators who are involved with the planning and budgeting of technology.
B. Students will evaluate and analyze a school district’s Student Information System, including the evaluation of total cost of ownership, feature set, ease of use, customer support, and training.
Information Systems Management is a course that is an overview of information technology (IT) in educational environments and the planning required for IT to support the purposes to which it is applied. Looking back on the work done in this course, I believe I learned a great amount of information about the tasks taken by information technology positions on campuses. I was able to analyze the technology at my campus, and create a twenty-minute multimedia slide show presentation including information such as future plans for technology, technology inventory, cost, and training. One assignment in this course required me to analyze the student information systems utilized at my school district. In one of the readings, I found my district SIMs were very similar to one in Pennsylvania, both having the same goals and functions. “Together, these components of our academic infrastructure will enable the many education stakeholders throughout Pennsylvania to access timely, high quality, and relevant information to support student learning. Our work to establish systemic enterprise-wide leadership, systems, and resources will provide the tools through which we can help all of Pennsylvania’s students succeed” (Golden, 2005). My district uses a system called “Eduphoria.” One part of this information program houses all student testing and benchmark data. It’s main features are to “create meaningful data sets to improve instruction/Integrate state, district, and campus data for monitoring
Progress/Analyze TAKS data in a rich, interactive grid/Develop easy-to-administer benchmark tests” (Eduphoria:School Objects, 2011). This program allows administrators and teachers to have a more complete understanding of student performance and areas of need.
Another task from this course that broadened my understanding of the position of Information Technology is the role on the decision-making committee. After interviewing a member and the principal about my campus’ SBDM Committee, I have learned a lot of information about how we use this committee. Many of my findings align with my understanding of site-based decision-making, and a few aspects of my campus’ SBDM Committee surprised me. My campus holds a monthly SBDM meeting. One of the main items discussed in the meeting is budget. Teachers submit requests to the members who are teachers on our campus, and the committee agrees to fund the different items. For example, in our last month’s meeting, they discussed installing white boards in our fourth-sixth grade classrooms. The price was discussed, and they approved it. In terms of professional development, they decided where and with who the staff should spend its staff development day for this school year. Much of the information aligned with my understanding of site-based decision making. My principal informed me that they talk about planning, budgeting, curriculum, staff development, and school patterns at the meetings; however, some of these points are more of a focus in some meetings than others. The one thing that surprised me was that the community member rarely attends the meetings at my campus. Overall, I think that my campus does a good job of utilizing the SBDM Committee, but like anything else, there is always room for improvement.
I have learned so much about how Texas schools are rated, and the ways in which principals analyze and utilize the ample amounts of data available to them and the public on the TEA website. As a result of the Application assignment, I have learned how to at least start taking steps toward continuous improvement on a campus. Because this is my first year teaching, I am not planning on taking any immediate steps toward campus improvement until I am more familiar with my curriculum and the state requirements. The application assignment allowed me to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of my campus, and the areas of need. I now am much more prepared to analyze and understand the data and expectations of my campus, as we have been rated exemplary for the past three years.
The assignments and readings from this course enabled me to gain information that will impact my future learning, teaching, and leading. Student Information Systems, campus inventory and analysis, and the understanding of the Horizon Report are all aspects of this course I will take with me in the future. The Horizon Report “describes six areas of emerging technology that will have significant impact on higher education and creative expression over the next one to five years” (Johnson, 2011, p. 2). This document is a way for educators to see what technologies are usable and popular for future classrooms. My interactions with this report will change my research for technologies in the classrooms in the future. I love the examples given in the report for classroom use, the resources given, and the description of the new technology. References Eduphoria! (2011). Eduphoria! School objects: aware. Region XIII service center. http://www5.esc13.net/eduphoria/docs/eduphoria!%20Flyer.pdf
Golden, M. (2005). Making strides with educational data. THE Journal.http://thejournal.com/Articles/2005/07/01/Making-Strides-with-Educational-Data.aspx?Page=1
Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., and Smythe, T. (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
EDLD 5368: Instructional Design
Self-Assessment
The course Instructional Design was on in which students: “learn the basics of creating effective instructional design for online courses and professional development. This course is a study of the principles of instruction design where designing instructional systems, processes in learning and instruction, delivery systems and evaluating instruction are considered” (Mason, 2010, p.2). This was one of the most educational courses for me in the program. It required me to create an entire online course using a program I was completely unfamiliar with. The readings, assignments, and discussions expanded my knowledge of learning theories, and they also revealed the many ways online instruction can be utilized. I created a fifth grade online course called, “All About Water.” The “students” in the course were required participate in experiments, discussions, assignments, and quizzes. The content from learning about instructional designed as aligned with the philosophies I learned during my undergraduate experience.
There was a lot of content about learning styles and lesson design in this course. Some students might make tremendous progress with teaching based on the Behaviorist Theory, in which “instruction is to elicit the desired response from the learner who is presented with a target stimulus” (Dabbagh, 2006, p.1). Other learners might respond well and learn the most from an environment where “instruction is a process of supporting knowledge construction rather than communicating knowledge” (Dabbagh, 2006, p.1), which would follow the constructivist theory. I think that teachers should be familiar with all learning styles and theories, because students learn in different ways, and depending on the activity or the information being taught, different methods might be more successful. I think within this course I was able to apply my knowledge of the different learning styles to the lessons within my online unit.
Learn as a Learner
My approach and strategies used in completing this course allowed me to complete the work so that I would be able to use the content in my own class. My online course created in Schoology was on the water cycle, the states of matter, and water in those three states. All of this content is taught in my third grade class, and I was able to use the experiments and quizzes in my class this year; however, was unable to administer the online course. My concern with the online program is the availability of internet at home. After giving my students a survey at the beginning of the year, I learned only half of them have access to a computer at home. Unfortunately I would be unable to do the online homework and projects shown in some examples during this course. I think Schoology is a program that would be excellent for staff development courses if there is not enough technology available within the classroom. When these online programs are utilized for professional development, facilitators are implementing ISTE’s technology standard Productivity and Professional Practice. “Students also benefit indirectly when educators use technology to enhance their own productivity and professional practice” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 101). This course revealed that online courses can be used not only for students, but for teachers, and will still benefit the student.
Lifelong Learning Skills
This course allowed me to strive to continue my quest for lifelong learning. When I am exposed to new technologies, I always want to explore them and think of ways I would be able to utilize them. One aspect of education discussed in this course is learning styles. Ever since my courses in my undergraduate program, I have been interested in learning theories, and how everyone learns differently. The pendulum of classroom philosophy is constantly swinging back and forth, and I am interested to see how technology will improve and impact the way we are “supposed” to be teaching. References Dabbagh. N. (2006). The instructional design knowledge base. Retrieved from http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm
Mason, D. (2010). EDLD 5368 Instructional design course syllabus. Lamar University Educational Technology Leadership.
Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, pp. 101.
EDLD 5388: Web Design and Development
Self-Assessment This course covered the three competency areas of Web site design, development and site administration. It began with a consideration of Web policy, governance and the Web 2.0 world. As a result of the assignments and readings in this course, I gained fundamental competencies in the following areas: project management, information architecture and site design; producing and managing content; and creating interactivity to enable effective communication. I planned for and “launched” my new site, and developed a plan for post launch activities that speaks to the essential elements of ongoing site administration (Abshire, S., 2010, p.1). I don’t know if it is because I have been working from home and school is out, or the course content, but this course has been one of the most challenging courses yet; however, I have definitely learned a lot. This course’s textbook was crucial to the understanding of the content. From the text, I learned the many steps it takes to design and assess quality web sites. There are many aspects of websites that I took for granted, such as search ability, navigation bars, and overall look and feel. Another requirement for this course was to upload podcasts and a voice recording on free web based programs. We were able to analyze our own school website as well. As a result I learned that my campus website is appealing to the eye, but can definitely use some updating. I think the readings in this course were very educational, and essential to understanding the basis of web design and development. One of my roles this school year on my campus is to update the school website, and I will be able to pull knowledge learned in this course to improve the quality of the site. Learn as a Learner Prior to this course, I never know the amount of work that went into launching and designing a website. It gave me “an opportunity to integrate multiple types of truly unique Web resources into the learning experience, including such media as simulations and animations that can promote the development of highly interactive and multisensory learning environments” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p.42). I can take my learning and transfer it directly to my own classroom, which is my main goal after this program. Lifelong Learning The activities completed in this course are ones that will help to fulfill the fifth ISTE Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standard. One performance task is to “use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 113). Creating a classroom or school site, such as the one completed in this course, is a great tool for communicating to the larger community. References Abshire, S. R. Ph.D. (2010). EDLD 5388 Web design and development syllabus. Lamar University: Educational Leadership. Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education. Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
EDLD 5301: Research
In this course, I learned about an entirely new way to conduct research. I have always done traditional research, rather than action research, and I am excited for the challenge this research will have. The most difficult part of this course was coming up with something to research. I felt the examples provided were all research that principals did, rather than classroom teachers, but after a lot of thought I came up with a good topic. This year, our campus is installing Promethean Boards in every classroom. I want to find out how this new technology improves student engagement and performance. I created a research plan, which included the dates for data collection and analyzation. The texts for this class were very helpful because examples always help me understand what is expected, especially when the courses are in the online format, where the professor is not present during instruction. Because I am earning my degree in technology, I thought it would be a good idea to undergo a research related to technology. Hopefully everything goes as planned, and my data is sufficient and specific enough to come to a helpful conclusion. I am looking forward to this year-long learning exprience.
EDLD 5363: Multimedia and Video Technology
Self-Assessment The assignments and reading in this course exposed me to many Web tools and theories about the effectiveness of the tools. The dynamics of this course were very different than all my previous courses, and I have learned many things, such as how to create and upload videos, how to improve sound quality in videos, and how to successfully collaborate with others from across the country. The first assignment made me realize how simple it is to create a one minute digital story and upload it to a free video website. I created a “How-To” digital story about myself. The entire time I was doing this first assignment, I was thinking of the many ways I can incorporate digital stories in my own third grade class. “In today's digitized world, visual storytelling is a favorite classroom tool, and the affordability and accessibility of technology such as iMovie provides opportunities not imagined a decade ago” (New, J., 2005, p. 1) After being introduced to digital storytelling, my beliefs about the simplicity and ease of use many digital storytelling programs have changed. I always thought it would be a hassle, but now know otherwise after completing several digital storytelling projects in my own classroom.
Learn as a Learner The main assignment, creating a PSA in a group project, was very challenging and educational. In my group of three, we found an excellent way to collaborate. We uploaded the Pre-Production Assignment to Google Docs, and all updated the document and we used the chat window available when all three of us were online at the same time. This turned out to be very successful. After viewing our final video and other group videos, I think we did an excellent job, considering our lack of experience with video making. All group members were assigned different tasks, based on our skills. This idea can be transferred into the classroom during the creation of projects such as this one. This was an excellent experience and I learned a lot from this different and fun course.
This course’s readings were very applicable to my position as a classroom teacher, and helped me learn about aspects of technology that will assist me in achieving my goal to use technology in new and engaging ways. I have learned these experiences provided for students are extremely beneficial for their future. “Effective multimedia for learning requires carefully combining media in well-reasoned ways that take advantage of each medium's unique characteristics. The most effective multimedia provides learning experiences that mirror real-world experiences and let learners apply the content in various contexts” (Shank, n.d., p. 1).
Lifelong Learning As a result of this course, my personal technology goals have changed. Because I was creating the projects myself, I was able to fully understand the way the different programs work. It is my goal to stay up-to-date with the ways these many technologies can be used in the classroom. “We have to teach our younger people how to use this very powerful tool. The world is now at the point where they are exposed to the visual language sooner than the verbal, and I think there's a danger of visual language having more of an effect on kids than it used to. We have to try to deal with this and teach them to interpret the power of visual language” (Cruickshank, 2008, p. 1). These skills are going to be necessary for everyone to know and understand in the future, and I would be doing a disservice to my students if I didn’t share my knowledge of the tools.
One aspect of this course that will change my future interactions with my colleagues is the collaboration method used. We utilized Google Docs for simultaneous additions to the assignments, along with the chat box. I will definitely use this amazing tool in any future long-distance, collaborative projects/assignments.
Student management of their technology use is an increasing concern in schools today. As a technology leader on a campus, it would be essential to increase administration, faculty, and student knowledge about proper use of technology in schools. There are two student-management issues I find relevant as a technology leader: student privacy, and filtering issues. The Internet is an amazing tool in school, but if the students are exposed to inappropriate content because of lack of filtering, many legal issues can arise. It is important to ensure proper filtering and ensure the teachers facilitating the use of the Internet are monitoring the student’s use. The knowledge I have gained on this topic will help me become an effective school leader because understanding policies/procedures related to student-management will allow me to ensure the staff and students are using technology properly. I will be able to help the staff and students with training on proper management. Teacher evaluation and remediation is very important for school leaders to implement. In terms of technology, I think teachers will not try to increase their use of technology in the classroom unless they are evaluated specifically on the amount of time it is used, and given opportunities to remediate the lack of technology being used. At my school, many teachers are hesitant to using technology, and I know that they won’t try to use it more unless they were evaluated on it. There are many things about school personnel management I feel I need to learn more about in order to become an effective school technology leader, and there are many ways I could gain this knowledge. I hope to learn more about ways to evaluate teachers and their use of technology. I know we have the Texas STAR chart, but there needs to be more if we want to fulfill Texas’ Long Term Range for Technology. One legal topic that will affect me as a school technology leader is the understanding of Acceptable Use Policies and Copyright Laws. Now that students are using the Internet as their main source of information for papers, assignments, etc., there is an extreme increase in copyright violation and plagiarism. I have found, even from my own experiences with research papers or use of pictures found online, that many people unknowingly violate these laws. This is a direct result of the violator not understanding the laws and how to properly use the ample amount of easily accessed information on the Internet. Currently in my district, all faculty members are required to watch an online video about both of these topics. I know that many teachers are not fully attentive during the short videos, and therefore are not gaining an understanding of the law. As a technology leader, I would make it a priority to ensure all faculty members understand these different laws, and understand the right way to use the information or images from the Internet in their work.
EDLD 5366: Digital Graphics and Desktop Publishing
Self-Assessment This was an extremely fun and educational course. The assignments were exciting to create, and I feel like I will be able to take what I learned in this class and apply it to my teaching. One main focus for the first couple assignments were the elements of design. The four principles of graphic design: Contrast/Repetition/Alignment/Proximity. We call this the CRAP of design” (Yearwood, 2009, p. 8) After learning about the concepts of design, we were to create a personal logo. This assignment can be used in the classroom in so many ways. The students can define themselves, and then a logo, and be critiqued on their use of CRAP. I had somewhat of a difficult time creating mine, because it is difficult to determine how I want to be portrayed by others. Our second creation assignment was creating an animation. This was one of my favorite assignments in the program so far…I wanted to keep on making it! The program was so easy and fun to use, I will definitely use it in my classroom, and I would love to see what my students could create. Although my animation wasn’t too meaningful content-wise, I still had a blast creating something that related to a huge part of my life—volleyball. The final assignment was to create a template for a newsletter. This was a little more challenging for me, because I was never artistically gifted in terms of design. However, after incorporating my personal logo, I think it turned out great. I used a program called Comic Life to create it. I love this program because of all the fonts available.
Learn as a Learner I approached each assignment in this course enthusiastically. I love assignments in which we create things that our students could potentially create because it gives me a better understanding of how the projects can be used to teach various state objectives effectively. Like many others, I learn by doing much better, and seeing other students’ logos and newsletters in this course helped guide my thinking and learning. The assignment in which we had to create a logo and brand ourselves was very difficult for me. I couldn’t use other examples as much to guide me because everyone is different. One site that helped me stated: “Brand discovery is about figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, setting goals, writing down a mission, vision and personal brand statement (what you do and who you serve), as well as creating a development plan” (Schwabel, 2009, p.1). After thinking about my life and what I value, I was able to create my brand, which I still feel needs tweaked to fully represent me.
Lifelong Learning Skills Overall, I feel as though I am walking away from this course with more knowledge about technology that I will be able to use and have my students create. I am very excited and eager to see what they can create! The challenge is teaching other teachers about these wonderful ideas and tools. One reading from this course had suggestions for administrators, including: offering several one-hour training sessions, to give teachers adequate time to explore existing software features, to plan how to integrate them, and to share their ideas with colleagues, [and] providing a few hours of teacher release time specifically for technology-related preparation, either solo or with another teacher or with a mentor” (Wahl & Duffield, 2004, p.8).
Yearwood, J. (2009). Design principals. Lamar University.
EDLD 5345: Human Resource Management
This course's final reflection was different because it had me answer many questions pertaining the the many different elements and assignments completed. Below is the document for my final assignment and reflections for the course.
Teaching with technology was a very educational, challenging, and useful course. The readings and assignment in the course were very applicable to my current position as a 3rd grade teacher and my campus’ C-Tech. Throughout the course I gained a substantial amount of knowledge from the readings and videos, used various strategies to complete the course assignments, and was exposed to many activities that can be used in my classroom.
The readings and videos in this course were very useful in the completion of the course assignments. Our main text, Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works, contained many helpful tips. For example, it provided examples of how to use great technology in the classroom to enhance learning and increase engagement. Items such as using technology for rubrics, presentations, graphic organizers, and self-assessments were just a few of the examples provided. (Pitler, 2007). This will be a very helpful text in my use of technology. Another main reading was from the CAST website about the Universal Design for Learning—the model we used in creating our group project scenario solution. This was an extremely educational text, as I was new to this design of lesson planning. It really made me think about the steps I take to ensure all learning styles and levels are being challenged and able to express their learning in my classroom. This is a constant struggle for me, as I have a very diverse group of kids this year. The videos were great, because many of them were simply examples of the successful use of technology and project-based learning in the classroom. For example, one video displayed a classroom that worked solely with projects, and all the students remained engaged and focused throughout, and all had positive things to say about their teacher and the teaching style (edutopia.org).
Our group assignment was fun and challenging. Collaborating from across Texas and with different job/family schedules is always difficult with distance education; however I feel my group did an excellent job of using technology, such as the Google Docs chat, to meet and complete our project. I was able to add my own input with color-coded text, and we came up with a solution to creating activities using technology to meet the diverse need of the students in our classroom. Our approach turned out to be successful and easy to use. We were able to go online on our own time, and see what was added from our teammates. From this, we could add our own information/lessons and then discuss during our weekly scheduled meetings. Technology truly closes the distance gap…it is amazing!
Many of the readings, videos, and parts of the assignments have helped me to increase my knowledge about teaching with technology. I will be able to apply many of the activities to my classroom, and hopefully increase effort, engagement, and performance. One chapter from Pitler’s text stuck with me: Reinforcing Effort. I realized from the chapter the lack of understanding my students have with the correlation between effort and performance. Pitler states: “Not all students realize the importance of believing in effort,” and suggests to “explicitly teach students about the importance of effort and keep track of their effort and achievement” (Pitler, 2007, Page 156).
As a life-long learner, it is my goal to improve my ability to plan lessons that are more differentiated and flexible to the different learning styles. From the CAST website and the Universal Design for Learning, I realized how little I differentiate my classroom instruction, and how much technology can assist me in this challenge. I am very eager to see where this new knowledge can take my classroom, and I hope to be able to assist other teachers in this challenge in our diverse classrooms. I enjoyed this course very much, and have been able to use and apply many new skills already in my class! A great way to end my program at Lamar J
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Chapter 1, 15-38)
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
Teaching With Tech--Week 1
This week’s reading focused on the relationship between Constructivism and the use of technology in the classroom. “Constructivist theory posits that students make sense of the world by syn- thesizing new experiences into what they have previously understood. They form rules through reflection on their interaction with objects and ideas. When they encounter an object, idea, or relationship that does not make sense to them, they either interpret what they see to conform to their rules or they adjust their rules to better ac- count for the new information.” (Brooks & Brooks, 1993). Technology is a great tool for students to constuct their own meaning and take on their own learning. Many teachers are hesitant to use technology in the classroom because the classroom dynamic often shifts from a traditional teacher-centered to more student-centered.
In Using Technology with Classroom Construction that Works Pitler and Hubble state: “research indicates that technology’s use in the classroom can have an additional positive influence on student learning when thelearning goals are clearly articulated prior to the technology’s use (Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002; Schacter, 1999). Applied effectively, tech- nology implementation not only increases student learning, under- standing, and achievement but also augments motivation to learn, encourages collaborative learning, and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills” (3). There are many ways to use technology in the classroom, and often it is used in a way that does not enhance the learning. When technology is “applied effectively,” it can truly transform the learning. Teachers need to take the time to think about the objectives and ways technology can be applied that will bring the level of thinking to the next level.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Teaching With Tech--Week 2
This week’s videos and readings focused on a variety of technology strategies that positively impact a diverse student learning population. Four of the videos were taken from CAST, a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). “UDL recognizes that every learner is unique and processes information differently. UDL is based on CAST's research related to three primary brain networks (recognition network, strategic network, and affective network) and the roles they play in understanding these differences. UDL provides a framework to create and implement lessons with flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that support learning for all students” (cast.org). This organization believes that “to reach each student, teachers need to customize learning using flexible tools, teaching methods, and assessments” (Principals of UDL). CAST would agree with Pitler in Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works, who states: “when students are allowed to set some of their own learning goals, their motivation is higher than when they pursue only teacher-set goals” (Pitler 18). The emphasis of this week’s lectures was to acknowledge the importance of understanding that students learn in different ways, and in order for teachers to truly be successful, they must plan lessons that allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. Technology provides many ways in which multiple learning styles can be accommodated in the same classroom. For example, blogs, graphic organizers made in Inspiration, surveying for student understanding using Survey Monkey, and even student-teacher email.
Lessonbuilder.cast.org (nd). Principals of Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved on March 5, 2011 from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/window.php?src=videos
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Chapter 1, 15-38)
Teaching With Tech--Week 3
Week three was a very informative and challenging week. There were many tasks to complete, and both assignments and the readings allowed me to gain a better understanding of what the Universal Design for Learning is and how to use it while planning lessons. The Universal Design for Learning consists of taking into account three networks: Recognition, Strategic, and Effective. Rose and Meyer provide teaching methods for recognition learning, such as Support Background Knowledge, Provide Multiple Media and Formats, Highlight Critical Features, Provide Multiple Examples (Rose, 2002 Chapter 6). For the Strategic Network, Rose and Meyer state: “Different learners aiming for the same goal generate different plans and steps for getting there. Because individuals have their own optimal pathways for learning strategic skills, teaching approaches and tools need to be varied” (Rose, 2002, Chapter 6. It is very important that we recognize that students can achieve the same goals in different ways. Giving students freedom and choices to display their learning allows students to do so in a way that best suits their strengths and learning styles. Finally, the Affective Network deals with the “why” of learning, and giving options and applying the learning to every-day situations will increase student understanding and engagement, and help them to understand why they are learning what they are learning…Why is this important??
This week, we created an eBook, using the CAST website. The eBooks are a great learning tool, both student and teacher created books. For example the teacher can create an eBook, and include questions and text reading. Students can also create these books to display their learning, and to share with their classmates. We also created a lesson using the UDL template. The UDL template goes into great detail with the steps and networks used throughout, as well as including the many materials and technology resources available. I really enjoyed creating the eBook, and will definitely apply the UDL model in my own classroom, as I believe it makes the teacher truly think about the objectives and the affective networks, making the lessons more meaningful and effective.
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Website. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, fromHttp://www.cast.org/teachingeeverystudent/ideas/tes/
The assignments and readings for this week were a continuation of the UDL method, and also focused on the effectiveness and benefits of group activities and project-based assignments in the classroom. The videos were very insightful, as they brought us into different classrooms that incorporate group work and student-directed learning. One video that focused on project-based work stated: “Because students are evaluated on the basis of their projects, rather than on the comparatively narrow rubrics defined by exams, essays, and written reports, assessment of project-based work is often more meaningful to them. They quickly see how academic work can connect to real-life issues” (Edutopia.org) The readings from the UDL site this week continued with the effectiveness of the Universal Design for Learning. The focus was on effective assessments. “Giving the same written test to all students is neither fair nor accurate” (Rose & Meyer, 2002, Chapter 7). The idea of flexibility with assessment allows for the various learning styles to be catered to in the classroom. Rose emphasized the importance of being flexible and allowing assessments to be different based on the students. One test for all students should not be the only determinant of student learning.
This week with our group project, we continued to develop learning activities that would help the multi-leveled classroom. After learning about the importance of assessment in the UDL, we were able to almost finalize our team solution.
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
Teaching With Tech--Week 5
This week was the final week in Teaching With Technology. The readings from Pitler continued with suggested use and examples of technology in the classroom. One idea was student self-evaluating of effort. I really like the idea of the students self-assessing their effort. I have found when I give my students a self-assessment or a survey they are often very honest. Pitler suggests: “One easy way to make the connection between effort and achievement is by using a spreadsheet” (Pitler, 2007, Chpt 8, P 160). This will help students get away from blaming their poor academic performance on things outside a student’s control (i.e. gender, race, socioeconomic status, etc.). The videos this week were more examples the use of technology in the classroom. Many of these clips from edutopia are ideal scenarios, and teachers should strive to be able to create the student-centered use of technology in their own classroom. I especially like the clip on grading with games. Teachers don’t always need to use tests for grading and assessing.
We finalized our team project this week and met to create a rationale for our decisions in our project scenario. I had a really good time with this project and will be able to use both my lesson and my teammates’ lessons in my classroom. This was a great project for me as a teacher because the readings and assignments are directly applicable to my class. Creating more differentiated lessons is a continuous challenge and goal for me.
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Course Reflections
EDLD 5306: Concepts of Educational Technology
A. Students complete technology/leadership assessments and summarize (1) key ideas of the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology in a table format, (2) the four strands of the Technology Applications TEKS and (3) two objectives/skills required in each of the four domains for a selected grade cluster.
B. Analyze Texas STaR Chart data, create a presentation for faculty on results, post the presentation to blog site where you also write 250-word opinion piece on one of the four areas of Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. Include (1) Description of the area. (2) Progress in the area (include local, state, and national progress. (3) Trends in the area (include local, state, and national progress. (4) Your recommendations for improvement in the area.
C. Create a wiki reference document.This class was the first class in the program. It was an overview and introduction for the classes to come. In this course, we studied the STAR Chart and the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, and we created a wiki for the program. I think this class was an excellent introduction to the entire Educational Technology Leadership Program. The readings allowed me to gain an understanding of the philosophies involved in teaching with technology, and introduced me to various web 2.0 technologies I was previously unfamiliar with. Many of the readings expanded my knowledge of technology and learner-centered approaches. Mary Burns states: “The project classrooms were exciting incubators for learning and collaboration, and a sense of a partnership for learning prevailed. Teachers reported that students’ work was better and discipline problems had diminished” (Burns, 2002, p. 297). Many studies have shown that technology bases and student-centered learning increases engagement and enthusiasm, as well as decreases management issues.
The skills I learned in this class allowed me to increase my knowledge about the tools available with technology. I had never set up a blog, podcast, digital story, or wiki before, and this class required me to do so. As a technology leader, this knowledge will help me because I will be able to model the use of the amazing tools. I am grateful to have learned those two tools because I have now used them many times in my own 6th and 3rd grade classes.
A final and important aspect of this course was the introduction of the STAR Chart, and the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. Understanding the state technology goals, as well as the campus-self assessment (STAR chart) will allow me to reflect on my teaching and ensure that I am attempting to meet the campus and state goals in terms of technology use. “In order to provide Texas students with a competitive role in these emerging global economies, State leaders and educators must define the current and future challenges impeding educational and economic progress and develop a strategic educational response. The goal in teaching and learning must be to empower young citizens to live and learn in a continuously changing 21st Century environment and to enable this citizenry to effectively interact in a global marketplace” (Texas, 2006, 5). These new skills I have will allow me to become a better technology leader, and to help teach students to be able to take part in the connective, global economy.
References
Burns, M. (2002). From Compliance To Commitment: Technology as a Catalyst for Communities of Learning. PHI DELTA KAPPAN. EBSCO. (295-302).
(2006). Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020: A Report to the 880 Legislature from the Texas Education Agency.
EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability
A. Students use state data and measure campus performance against the state standards. Target one area of strength at the campus and two areas of weakness.
B. Create an action plan for the campus. Develop an agenda for a professional development day that addresses the targeted campus needs and include a timeline for follow-up professional development.
Leadership for accountability was a course designed around the analysis of student data and developing an action plan to help a campus address the targeted campus needs. With NCLB, it is imperative school leaders have an understanding of the Texas Accountability System, and are able to create plans to help increase the scores in the problem areas. “
The assignments were very educational because I was able to go through the process myself and analyze my own campus’ performance ratings. Before this course, I was unaware of the way the rating system in Texas worked, how schools were determined “Exemplary,” “Recognized,” etc. “This course is a study of both short and long-range planning and problem solving techniques of effective school leaders. Special emphasis will be given to an individual campus and its relationship to district planning” (Syllabus, 2010, p. 1).
With NCLB, there has been a significant increase in the focus of public school being the standardized test. The test scores reflect the success of a campus, and effect the acceptability of districts. With this in mind, “developing a vision is a critical component of school improvement and school leadership; in addition, the development of a vision is an evolutionary process. It is debated whether the initial step in the development of a vision is a written statement, but it is essential that the principal create an environment of change. A guiding "frame-work" of action is essential with ongoing communication, assessment, and re-evaluation that are driven by the chief investigator” (Jones, 2002, p. 1).
This course really touched on one of my issues with public education. I do not believe high-stakes testing is the most efficient way to assess campus success. Also, with such a focus on the students who are at risk, there is a neglect of the students who are passing with flying colors. The focus in classrooms is to “pass the test,” whether school leaders like to admit or not. Regardless of my opinion, if my goal is to become a school leader, the tasks and assignments completed in this course have better prepared my by expanding my knowledge of the process of analyzing data, pointing out target areas, and creating plans to address those target areas. “In recent years, we educators have expanded our thinking about what the assessment process can do; we have moved beyond using it simply to judge and grade achievement to using it to make changes in teaching that will lead to greater learning” (Stiggins, 2008, p.1). I hope teachers and school leaders can learn how to use the assessments as a way to measure student understanding, without the extreme emphasis on the test within the curriculum.
References
Adams, N. (2010). EDLD 5333 Leadership for accountability: syllabus. Lamar University. Beumont, TX. (1-13)
Jones, L., & Crochet, F. (2007). The importance of visions for schools and school improvement. Connexions. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://cnx.org/content/m15634/1.1/
Stiggins, R., & Chappuis, J. (2008). Enhancing student learning: Create profound achievement gains through formative assessments. District Administration. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle/aspx?articleid=1362
EDLD 5362: Informational Systems Management
A. Analyze district technology after completing interviews with at least two school administrators who are involved with the planning and budgeting of technology.
B. Students will evaluate and analyze a school district’s Student Information System, including the evaluation of total cost of ownership, feature set, ease of use, customer support, and training.
Information Systems Management is a course that is an overview of information technology (IT) in educational environments and the planning required for IT to support the purposes to which it is applied. Looking back on the work done in this course, I believe I learned a great amount of information about the tasks taken by information technology positions on campuses. I was able to analyze the technology at my campus, and create a twenty-minute multimedia slide show presentation including information such as future plans for technology, technology inventory, cost, and training. One assignment in this course required me to analyze the student information systems utilized at my school district. In one of the readings, I found my district SIMs were very similar to one in Pennsylvania, both having the same goals and functions. “Together, these components of our academic infrastructure will enable the many education stakeholders throughout Pennsylvania to access timely, high quality, and relevant information to support student learning. Our work to establish systemic enterprise-wide leadership, systems, and resources will provide the tools through which we can help all of Pennsylvania’s students succeed” (Golden, 2005). My district uses a system called “Eduphoria.” One part of this information program houses all student testing and benchmark data. It’s main features are to “create meaningful data sets to improve instruction/Integrate state, district, and campus data for monitoring
Progress/Analyze TAKS data in a rich, interactive grid/Develop easy-to-administer benchmark tests” (Eduphoria:School Objects, 2011). This program allows administrators and teachers to have a more complete understanding of student performance and areas of need.
Another task from this course that broadened my understanding of the position of Information Technology is the role on the decision-making committee. After interviewing a member and the principal about my campus’ SBDM Committee, I have learned a lot of information about how we use this committee. Many of my findings align with my understanding of site-based decision-making, and a few aspects of my campus’ SBDM Committee surprised me. My campus holds a monthly SBDM meeting. One of the main items discussed in the meeting is budget. Teachers submit requests to the members who are teachers on our campus, and the committee agrees to fund the different items. For example, in our last month’s meeting, they discussed installing white boards in our fourth-sixth grade classrooms. The price was discussed, and they approved it. In terms of professional development, they decided where and with who the staff should spend its staff development day for this school year. Much of the information aligned with my understanding of site-based decision making. My principal informed me that they talk about planning, budgeting, curriculum, staff development, and school patterns at the meetings; however, some of these points are more of a focus in some meetings than others. The one thing that surprised me was that the community member rarely attends the meetings at my campus. Overall, I think that my campus does a good job of utilizing the SBDM Committee, but like anything else, there is always room for improvement.
I have learned so much about how Texas schools are rated, and the ways in which principals analyze and utilize the ample amounts of data available to them and the public on the TEA website. As a result of the Application assignment, I have learned how to at least start taking steps toward continuous improvement on a campus. Because this is my first year teaching, I am not planning on taking any immediate steps toward campus improvement until I am more familiar with my curriculum and the state requirements. The application assignment allowed me to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of my campus, and the areas of need. I now am much more prepared to analyze and understand the data and expectations of my campus, as we have been rated exemplary for the past three years.
The assignments and readings from this course enabled me to gain information that will impact my future learning, teaching, and leading. Student Information Systems, campus inventory and analysis, and the understanding of the Horizon Report are all aspects of this course I will take with me in the future. The Horizon Report “describes six areas of emerging technology that will have significant impact on higher education and creative expression over the next one to five years” (Johnson, 2011, p. 2). This document is a way for educators to see what technologies are usable and popular for future classrooms. My interactions with this report will change my research for technologies in the classrooms in the future. I love the examples given in the report for classroom use, the resources given, and the description of the new technology.
References
Eduphoria! (2011). Eduphoria! School objects: aware. Region XIII service center. http://www5.esc13.net/eduphoria/docs/eduphoria!%20Flyer.pdf
Golden, M. (2005). Making strides with educational data. THE Journal. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2005/07/01/Making-Strides-with-Educational-Data.aspx?Page=1
Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., and Smythe, T. (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
EDLD 5368: Instructional Design
Self-Assessment
The course Instructional Design was on in which students: “learn the basics of creating effective instructional design for online courses and professional development. This course is a study of the principles of instruction design where designing instructional systems, processes in learning and instruction, delivery systems and evaluating instruction are considered” (Mason, 2010, p.2). This was one of the most educational courses for me in the program. It required me to create an entire online course using a program I was completely unfamiliar with. The readings, assignments, and discussions expanded my knowledge of learning theories, and they also revealed the many ways online instruction can be utilized. I created a fifth grade online course called, “All About Water.” The “students” in the course were required participate in experiments, discussions, assignments, and quizzes. The content from learning about instructional designed as aligned with the philosophies I learned during my undergraduate experience.
There was a lot of content about learning styles and lesson design in this course. Some students might make tremendous progress with teaching based on the Behaviorist Theory, in which “instruction is to elicit the desired response from the learner who is presented with a target stimulus” (Dabbagh, 2006, p.1). Other learners might respond well and learn the most from an environment where “instruction is a process of supporting knowledge construction rather than communicating knowledge” (Dabbagh, 2006, p.1), which would follow the constructivist theory. I think that teachers should be familiar with all learning styles and theories, because students learn in different ways, and depending on the activity or the information being taught, different methods might be more successful. I think within this course I was able to apply my knowledge of the different learning styles to the lessons within my online unit.
Learn as a Learner
My approach and strategies used in completing this course allowed me to complete the work so that I would be able to use the content in my own class. My online course created in Schoology was on the water cycle, the states of matter, and water in those three states. All of this content is taught in my third grade class, and I was able to use the experiments and quizzes in my class this year; however, was unable to administer the online course. My concern with the online program is the availability of internet at home. After giving my students a survey at the beginning of the year, I learned only half of them have access to a computer at home. Unfortunately I would be unable to do the online homework and projects shown in some examples during this course. I think Schoology is a program that would be excellent for staff development courses if there is not enough technology available within the classroom. When these online programs are utilized for professional development, facilitators are implementing ISTE’s technology standard Productivity and Professional Practice. “Students also benefit indirectly when educators use technology to enhance their own productivity and professional practice” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 101). This course revealed that online courses can be used not only for students, but for teachers, and will still benefit the student.
Lifelong Learning Skills
This course allowed me to strive to continue my quest for lifelong learning. When I am exposed to new technologies, I always want to explore them and think of ways I would be able to utilize them. One aspect of education discussed in this course is learning styles. Ever since my courses in my undergraduate program, I have been interested in learning theories, and how everyone learns differently. The pendulum of classroom philosophy is constantly swinging back and forth, and I am interested to see how technology will improve and impact the way we are “supposed” to be teaching.
References
Dabbagh. N. (2006). The instructional design knowledge base. Retrieved from http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm
Mason, D. (2010). EDLD 5368 Instructional design course syllabus. Lamar University Educational Technology Leadership.
Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, pp. 101.
EDLD 5388: Web Design and Development
Self-Assessment
This course covered the three competency areas of Web site design, development and site administration. It began with a consideration of Web policy, governance and the Web 2.0 world. As a result of the assignments and readings in this course, I gained fundamental competencies in the following areas: project management, information architecture and site design; producing and managing content; and creating interactivity to enable effective communication. I planned for and “launched” my new site, and developed a plan for post launch activities that speaks to the essential elements of ongoing site administration (Abshire, S., 2010, p.1).
I don’t know if it is because I have been working from home and school is out, or the course content, but this course has been one of the most challenging courses yet; however, I have definitely learned a lot. This course’s textbook was crucial to the understanding of the content. From the text, I learned the many steps it takes to design and assess quality web sites. There are many aspects of websites that I took for granted, such as search ability, navigation bars, and overall look and feel. Another requirement for this course was to upload podcasts and a voice recording on free web based programs. We were able to analyze our own school website as well. As a result I learned that my campus website is appealing to the eye, but can definitely use some updating. I think the readings in this course were very educational, and essential to understanding the basis of web design and development. One of my roles this school year on my campus is to update the school website, and I will be able to pull knowledge learned in this course to improve the quality of the site.
Learn as a Learner
Prior to this course, I never know the amount of work that went into launching and designing a website. It gave me “an opportunity to integrate multiple types of truly unique Web resources into the learning experience, including such media as simulations and animations that can promote the development of highly interactive and multisensory learning environments” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p.42). I can take my learning and transfer it directly to my own classroom, which is my main goal after this program.
Lifelong Learning
The activities completed in this course are ones that will help to fulfill the fifth ISTE Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standard. One performance task is to “use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 113). Creating a classroom or school site, such as the one completed in this course, is a great tool for communicating to the larger community.
References
Abshire, S. R. Ph.D. (2010). EDLD 5388 Web design and development syllabus. Lamar University: Educational Leadership.
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Williamson, J & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
EDLD 5301: Research
In this course, I learned about an entirely new way to conduct research. I have always done traditional research, rather than action research, and I am excited for the challenge this research will have. The most difficult part of this course was coming up with something to research. I felt the examples provided were all research that principals did, rather than classroom teachers, but after a lot of thought I came up with a good topic. This year, our campus is installing Promethean Boards in every classroom. I want to find out how this new technology improves student engagement and performance. I created a research plan, which included the dates for data collection and analyzation. The texts for this class were very helpful because examples always help me understand what is expected, especially when the courses are in the online format, where the professor is not present during instruction. Because I am earning my degree in technology, I thought it would be a good idea to undergo a research related to technology. Hopefully everything goes as planned, and my data is sufficient and specific enough to come to a helpful conclusion. I am looking forward to this year-long learning exprience.EDLD 5363: Multimedia and Video Technology
Self-Assessment
The assignments and reading in this course exposed me to many Web tools and theories about the effectiveness of the tools. The dynamics of this course were very different than all my previous courses, and I have learned many things, such as how to create and upload videos, how to improve sound quality in videos, and how to successfully collaborate with others from across the country. The first assignment made me realize how simple it is to create a one minute digital story and upload it to a free video website. I created a “How-To” digital story about myself. The entire time I was doing this first assignment, I was thinking of the many ways I can incorporate digital stories in my own third grade class. “In today's digitized world, visual storytelling is a favorite classroom tool, and the affordability and accessibility of technology such as iMovie provides opportunities not imagined a decade ago” (New, J., 2005, p. 1) After being introduced to digital storytelling, my beliefs about the simplicity and ease of use many digital storytelling programs have changed. I always thought it would be a hassle, but now know otherwise after completing several digital storytelling projects in my own classroom.
Learn as a Learner
The main assignment, creating a PSA in a group project, was very challenging and educational. In my group of three, we found an excellent way to collaborate. We uploaded the Pre-Production Assignment to Google Docs, and all updated the document and we used the chat window available when all three of us were online at the same time. This turned out to be very successful. After viewing our final video and other group videos, I think we did an excellent job, considering our lack of experience with video making. All group members were assigned different tasks, based on our skills. This idea can be transferred into the classroom during the creation of projects such as this one. This was an excellent experience and I learned a lot from this different and fun course.
This course’s readings were very applicable to my position as a classroom teacher, and helped me learn about aspects of technology that will assist me in achieving my goal to use technology in new and engaging ways. I have learned these experiences provided for students are extremely beneficial for their future. “Effective multimedia for learning requires carefully combining media in well-reasoned ways that take advantage of each medium's unique characteristics. The most effective multimedia provides learning experiences that mirror real-world experiences and let learners apply the content in various contexts” (Shank, n.d., p. 1).
Lifelong Learning
As a result of this course, my personal technology goals have changed. Because I was creating the projects myself, I was able to fully understand the way the different programs work. It is my goal to stay up-to-date with the ways these many technologies can be used in the classroom. “We have to teach our younger people how to use this very powerful tool. The world is now at the point where they are exposed to the visual language sooner than the verbal, and I think there's a danger of visual language having more of an effect on kids than it used to. We have to try to deal with this and teach them to interpret the power of visual language” (Cruickshank, 2008, p. 1). These skills are going to be necessary for everyone to know and understand in the future, and I would be doing a disservice to my students if I didn’t share my knowledge of the tools.
One aspect of this course that will change my future interactions with my colleagues is the collaboration method used. We utilized Google Docs for simultaneous additions to the assignments, along with the chat box. I will definitely use this amazing tool in any future long-distance, collaborative projects/assignments.
References
Cruickshank, D. (2008). Martin Scorsese: Teaching visual literacy. Edutopia. Retrieved May 9, 2011, from http://www.edutopia.org/conversation-martin-scorsese.
New, J. (2005). How to use digital storytelling in your classroom. Edutopia. Retreived April 30, 2011, from http://www.edutopia.org/use-digital-storytelling-classroom.
Shank, P. (n.d.). The value of multimedia in learning. Think Tank. Retreived May 5, 2011, from http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/valuemedia/.
EDLD 5344: School Law
Student management of their technology use is an increasing concern in schools today. As a technology leader on a campus, it would be essential to increase administration, faculty, and student knowledge about proper use of technology in schools. There are two student-management issues I find relevant as a technology leader: student privacy, and filtering issues. The Internet is an amazing tool in school, but if the students are exposed to inappropriate content because of lack of filtering, many legal issues can arise. It is important to ensure proper filtering and ensure the teachers facilitating the use of the Internet are monitoring the student’s use.The knowledge I have gained on this topic will help me become an effective school leader because understanding policies/procedures related to student-management will allow me to ensure the staff and students are using technology properly. I will be able to help the staff and students with training on proper management.
Teacher evaluation and remediation is very important for school leaders to implement. In terms of technology, I think teachers will not try to increase their use of technology in the classroom unless they are evaluated specifically on the amount of time it is used, and given opportunities to remediate the lack of technology being used. At my school, many teachers are hesitant to using technology, and I know that they won’t try to use it more unless they were evaluated on it. There are many things about school personnel management I feel I need to learn more about in order to become an effective school technology leader, and there are many ways I could gain this knowledge. I hope to learn more about ways to evaluate teachers and their use of technology. I know we have the Texas STAR chart, but there needs to be more if we want to fulfill Texas’ Long Term Range for Technology.
One legal topic that will affect me as a school technology leader is the understanding of Acceptable Use Policies and Copyright Laws. Now that students are using the Internet as their main source of information for papers, assignments, etc., there is an extreme increase in copyright violation and plagiarism. I have found, even from my own experiences with research papers or use of pictures found online, that many people unknowingly violate these laws. This is a direct result of the violator not understanding the laws and how to properly use the ample amount of easily accessed information on the Internet. Currently in my district, all faculty members are required to watch an online video about both of these topics. I know that many teachers are not fully attentive during the short videos, and therefore are not gaining an understanding of the law. As a technology leader, I would make it a priority to ensure all faculty members understand these different laws, and understand the right way to use the information or images from the Internet in their work.
EDLD 5366: Digital Graphics and Desktop Publishing
Self-Assessment
This was an extremely fun and educational course. The assignments were exciting to create, and I feel like I will be able to take what I learned in this class and apply it to my teaching. One main focus for the first couple assignments were the elements of design. The four principles of graphic design: Contrast/Repetition/Alignment/Proximity. We call this the CRAP of design” (Yearwood, 2009, p. 8) After learning about the concepts of design, we were to create a personal logo. This assignment can be used in the classroom in so many ways. The students can define themselves, and then a logo, and be critiqued on their use of CRAP. I had somewhat of a difficult time creating mine, because it is difficult to determine how I want to be portrayed by others. Our second creation assignment was creating an animation. This was one of my favorite assignments in the program so far…I wanted to keep on making it! The program was so easy and fun to use, I will definitely use it in my classroom, and I would love to see what my students could create. Although my animation wasn’t too meaningful content-wise, I still had a blast creating something that related to a huge part of my life—volleyball. The final assignment was to create a template for a newsletter. This was a little more challenging for me, because I was never artistically gifted in terms of design. However, after incorporating my personal logo, I think it turned out great. I used a program called Comic Life to create it. I love this program because of all the fonts available.
Learn as a Learner
I approached each assignment in this course enthusiastically. I love assignments in which we create things that our students could potentially create because it gives me a better understanding of how the projects can be used to teach various state objectives effectively. Like many others, I learn by doing much better, and seeing other students’ logos and newsletters in this course helped guide my thinking and learning. The assignment in which we had to create a logo and brand ourselves was very difficult for me. I couldn’t use other examples as much to guide me because everyone is different. One site that helped me stated: “Brand discovery is about figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, setting goals, writing down a mission, vision and personal brand statement (what you do and who you serve), as well as creating a development plan” (Schwabel, 2009, p.1). After thinking about my life and what I value, I was able to create my brand, which I still feel needs tweaked to fully represent me.
Lifelong Learning Skills
Overall, I feel as though I am walking away from this course with more knowledge about technology that I will be able to use and have my students create. I am very excited and eager to see what they can create! The challenge is teaching other teachers about these wonderful ideas and tools. One reading from this course had suggestions for administrators, including: offering several one-hour training sessions, to give teachers adequate time to explore existing software features, to plan how to integrate them, and to share their ideas with colleagues, [and] providing a few hours of teacher release time specifically for technology-related preparation, either solo or with another teacher or with a mentor” (Wahl & Duffield, 2004, p.8).
References
Schwabel, D. (2009). Personal branding 101: How to discover and create you brand. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/02/05/personal-branding-101/
Wahl, L., & Duffield, J. (2005). Using flexible technology to meet the needs of diverse learners. Retrieved from http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/kn-05-01.pdf
Yearwood, J. (2009). Design principals. Lamar University.
EDLD 5345: Human Resource Management
This course's final reflection was different because it had me answer many questions pertaining the the many different elements and assignments completed. Below is the document for my final assignment and reflections for the course.EDLD 5364: Teaching With Technology
Teaching with technology was a very educational, challenging, and useful course. The readings and assignment in the course were very applicable to my current position as a 3rd grade teacher and my campus’ C-Tech. Throughout the course I gained a substantial amount of knowledge from the readings and videos, used various strategies to complete the course assignments, and was exposed to many activities that can be used in my classroom.
The readings and videos in this course were very useful in the completion of the course assignments. Our main text, Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works, contained many helpful tips. For example, it provided examples of how to use great technology in the classroom to enhance learning and increase engagement. Items such as using technology for rubrics, presentations, graphic organizers, and self-assessments were just a few of the examples provided. (Pitler, 2007). This will be a very helpful text in my use of technology. Another main reading was from the CAST website about the Universal Design for Learning—the model we used in creating our group project scenario solution. This was an extremely educational text, as I was new to this design of lesson planning. It really made me think about the steps I take to ensure all learning styles and levels are being challenged and able to express their learning in my classroom. This is a constant struggle for me, as I have a very diverse group of kids this year. The videos were great, because many of them were simply examples of the successful use of technology and project-based learning in the classroom. For example, one video displayed a classroom that worked solely with projects, and all the students remained engaged and focused throughout, and all had positive things to say about their teacher and the teaching style (edutopia.org).
Our group assignment was fun and challenging. Collaborating from across Texas and with different job/family schedules is always difficult with distance education; however I feel my group did an excellent job of using technology, such as the Google Docs chat, to meet and complete our project. I was able to add my own input with color-coded text, and we came up with a solution to creating activities using technology to meet the diverse need of the students in our classroom. Our approach turned out to be successful and easy to use. We were able to go online on our own time, and see what was added from our teammates. From this, we could add our own information/lessons and then discuss during our weekly scheduled meetings. Technology truly closes the distance gap…it is amazing!
Many of the readings, videos, and parts of the assignments have helped me to increase my knowledge about teaching with technology. I will be able to apply many of the activities to my classroom, and hopefully increase effort, engagement, and performance. One chapter from Pitler’s text stuck with me: Reinforcing Effort. I realized from the chapter the lack of understanding my students have with the correlation between effort and performance. Pitler states: “Not all students realize the importance of believing in effort,” and suggests to “explicitly teach students about the importance of effort and keep track of their effort and achievement” (Pitler, 2007, Page 156).
As a life-long learner, it is my goal to improve my ability to plan lessons that are more differentiated and flexible to the different learning styles. From the CAST website and the Universal Design for Learning, I realized how little I differentiate my classroom instruction, and how much technology can assist me in this challenge. I am very eager to see where this new knowledge can take my classroom, and I hope to be able to assist other teachers in this challenge in our diverse classrooms. I enjoyed this course very much, and have been able to use and apply many new skills already in my class! A great way to end my program at Lamar J
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Chapter 1, 15-38)
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
Teaching With Tech--Week 1
This week’s reading focused on the relationship between Constructivism and the use of technology in the classroom. “Constructivist theory posits that students make sense of the world by syn- thesizing new experiences into what they have previously understood. They form rules through reflection on their interaction with objects and ideas. When they encounter an object, idea, or relationship that does not make sense to them, they either interpret what they see to conform to their rules or they adjust their rules to better ac- count for the new information.” (Brooks & Brooks, 1993). Technology is a great tool for students to constuct their own meaning and take on their own learning. Many teachers are hesitant to use technology in the classroom because the classroom dynamic often shifts from a traditional teacher-centered to more student-centered.
In Using Technology with Classroom Construction that Works Pitler and Hubble state: “research indicates that technology’s use in the classroom can have an additional positive influence on student learning when thelearning goals are clearly articulated prior to the technology’s use (Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002; Schacter, 1999). Applied effectively, tech- nology implementation not only increases student learning, under- standing, and achievement but also augments motivation to learn, encourages collaborative learning, and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills” (3). There are many ways to use technology in the classroom, and often it is used in a way that does not enhance the learning. When technology is “applied effectively,” it can truly transform the learning. Teachers need to take the time to think about the objectives and ways technology can be applied that will bring the level of thinking to the next level.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Teaching With Tech--Week 2
This week’s videos and readings focused on a variety of technology strategies that positively impact a diverse student learning population. Four of the videos were taken from CAST, a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). “UDL recognizes that every learner is unique and processes information differently. UDL is based on CAST's research related to three primary brain networks (recognition network, strategic network, and affective network) and the roles they play in understanding these differences. UDL provides a framework to create and implement lessons with flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that support learning for all students” (cast.org). This organization believes that “to reach each student, teachers need to customize learning using flexible tools, teaching methods, and assessments” (Principals of UDL). CAST would agree with Pitler in Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works, who states: “when students are allowed to set some of their own learning goals, their motivation is higher than when they pursue only teacher-set goals” (Pitler 18). The emphasis of this week’s lectures was to acknowledge the importance of understanding that students learn in different ways, and in order for teachers to truly be successful, they must plan lessons that allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. Technology provides many ways in which multiple learning styles can be accommodated in the same classroom. For example, blogs, graphic organizers made in Inspiration, surveying for student understanding using Survey Monkey, and even student-teacher email.
Cast.org. About UDL. Retrieved on March 3, 2011 from http://www.cast.org/about/index.html
Lessonbuilder.cast.org (nd). Principals of Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved on March 5, 2011 from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/window.php?src=videos
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Chapter 1, 15-38)
Teaching With Tech--Week 3
Week three was a very informative and challenging week. There were many tasks to complete, and both assignments and the readings allowed me to gain a better understanding of what the Universal Design for Learning is and how to use it while planning lessons. The Universal Design for Learning consists of taking into account three networks: Recognition, Strategic, and Effective. Rose and Meyer provide teaching methods for recognition learning, such as Support Background Knowledge, Provide Multiple Media and Formats, Highlight Critical Features, Provide Multiple Examples (Rose, 2002 Chapter 6). For the Strategic Network, Rose and Meyer state: “Different learners aiming for the same goal generate different plans and steps for getting there. Because individuals have their own optimal pathways for learning strategic skills, teaching approaches and tools need to be varied” (Rose, 2002, Chapter 6. It is very important that we recognize that students can achieve the same goals in different ways. Giving students freedom and choices to display their learning allows students to do so in a way that best suits their strengths and learning styles. Finally, the Affective Network deals with the “why” of learning, and giving options and applying the learning to every-day situations will increase student understanding and engagement, and help them to understand why they are learning what they are learning…Why is this important??
This week, we created an eBook, using the CAST website. The eBooks are a great learning tool, both student and teacher created books. For example the teacher can create an eBook, and include questions and text reading. Students can also create these books to display their learning, and to share with their classmates. We also created a lesson using the UDL template. The UDL template goes into great detail with the steps and networks used throughout, as well as including the many materials and technology resources available. I really enjoyed creating the eBook, and will definitely apply the UDL model in my own classroom, as I believe it makes the teacher truly think about the objectives and the affective networks, making the lessons more meaningful and effective.
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Website. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, fromHttp://www.cast.org/teachingeeverystudent/ideas/tes/
UDL LESSON:
Teaching With Tech--Week 4
The assignments and readings for this week were a continuation of the UDL method, and also focused on the effectiveness and benefits of group activities and project-based assignments in the classroom. The videos were very insightful, as they brought us into different classrooms that incorporate group work and student-directed learning. One video that focused on project-based work stated: “Because students are evaluated on the basis of their projects, rather than on the comparatively narrow rubrics defined by exams, essays, and written reports, assessment of project-based work is often more meaningful to them. They quickly see how academic work can connect to real-life issues” (Edutopia.org) The readings from the UDL site this week continued with the effectiveness of the Universal Design for Learning. The focus was on effective assessments. “Giving the same written test to all students is neither fair nor accurate” (Rose & Meyer, 2002, Chapter 7). The idea of flexibility with assessment allows for the various learning styles to be catered to in the classroom. Rose emphasized the importance of being flexible and allowing assessments to be different based on the students. One test for all students should not be the only determinant of student learning.
This week with our group project, we continued to develop learning activities that would help the multi-leveled classroom. After learning about the importance of assessment in the UDL, we were able to almost finalize our team solution.
Edutopia.org (nd). Project Learning: An Overview. Retrieved on March 16, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-overview
Rose. D., & Meyer, A. (2002)Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the center for applied Special Technology Web site. Chapter 6. Retrieved on October 5, 2009.
Teaching With Tech--Week 5
This week was the final week in Teaching With Technology. The readings from Pitler continued with suggested use and examples of technology in the classroom. One idea was student self-evaluating of effort. I really like the idea of the students self-assessing their effort. I have found when I give my students a self-assessment or a survey they are often very honest. Pitler suggests: “One easy way to make the connection between effort and achievement is by using a spreadsheet” (Pitler, 2007, Chpt 8, P 160). This will help students get away from blaming their poor academic performance on things outside a student’s control (i.e. gender, race, socioeconomic status, etc.). The videos this week were more examples the use of technology in the classroom. Many of these clips from edutopia are ideal scenarios, and teachers should strive to be able to create the student-centered use of technology in their own classroom. I especially like the clip on grading with games. Teachers don’t always need to use tests for grading and assessing.
We finalized our team project this week and met to create a rationale for our decisions in our project scenario. I had a really good time with this project and will be able to use both my lesson and my teammates’ lessons in my classroom. This was a great project for me as a teacher because the readings and assignments are directly applicable to my class. Creating more differentiated lessons is a continuous challenge and goal for me.
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.